EPSO input to the EC consultation on EU funds in the area of investment, research and innovation, SMEs and single market

Transcription

1 Eurpean Plant Science Organisatin Input t the Eurpean Cmmissin Cnsultatin EPSO input t the EC cnsultatin n EU funds in the area f investment, research and innvatin, SMEs and single market Brussels, Fstering research and innvatin acrss the EU thrugh the Framewrk Prgrammes (FPs) is a unique pprtunity t bring Eurpean scientists and scieties clser tgether t help build an inclusive, cllabrative Eurpe and wrld and help achieving the UN Sustainable Develpment Gals (SDGs). The EPSO recmmendatins t further strengthen research and innvatin acrss the EU: I Imprve links between varius EU investments / prgrammes such as FP9, CAP+, ESIF and ESFRI prgrammes t maximise impact. T enable all cuntries t participate in FP9 schemes, Member States shuld be allwed and mre encuraged t use the Eurpean Structural and Investment Funds (ESIF) as investment in research and innvatin beynd infrastructures, by funding the actual scientists frm PstDcs t senir levels - as bviusly salary csts are the current bttleneck t attract (back) scientists t e.g. Eastern cuntries. This shuld include as well cntributins t the ERA-Nets as an enhancer f Eurpean cllabratin, and t Eurpean Science Organisatins t imprve netwrking and active participatin frm all Eurpean cuntries equally. Synergies between Framewrk Prgrammes and Structural Funds are likely t be realized in the lng term, spanning several funding perids (e.g. a new research facility the cnstructin f which is funded by structural funds might nt be perable and ready fr carrying ut research prjects submitted during the same funding perid in a Framewrk Prgramme). Yet using these funds synergistic will be eased by e.g. clear prfile & aim f each prgramme trust based apprach twards grantees (utput rientatin instead f cunting peas ) clear, easy t use rules fr the reimbursement f csts, based n csts actually caused by the prject, aligned between prgrammes that allw fr reprting withut undue administrative burden fr grantees flexibility in the use f prject budgets t allw reactin t unexpected develpments withut undue administrative burden fr grantees The Cmmn Agricultural, Fd and Nutritin Plicy (CAP+) has identified five majr challenges: fd and nutritin security, climate change, the envirnment, healthy and safe fd and inequality. These issues can nly be addressed by invlving farmers, academic researchers and industrial partners in initiatives t address the lw incmes f farmers (e.g. fair trade principles), the envirnmental perfrmance f agriculture and the need t ffer healthy EPSO input t the EC cnsultatin n EU funds pst page 1 f 5

2 chices fr cnsumers. The Framewrk Prgramme fr R&I shuld be utilised t supprt basic and applied research demnstratin and innvatin actins fcused n Scietal Challenge. Hwever, these activities wuld benefit substantially frm cnnectins with CAP+-supprted field applicatins (e.g. CAP-EIP-Operatinal Grups [OGs]). Since farmers and extensin services are already well-engaged in the OGs, EPSO recmmends imprving incentives fr scientist invlvement and better alignment between CAP-EIP and FP9. Cnsider establishing and imprving an instrument in FP9 feeding int the Eurpean Strategy Frum fr Research Infrastructure (ESFRI) t: (i) facilitate advancement f and access t state-f-the-art research infrastructure in the plant sectr t address SDG2 ( End hunger, achieve fd security and imprved nutritin and prmte sustainable agriculture ); (ii) perfrm a gap analysis n research infrastructure in the plant sectr, building n the examples f phentyping and managed and unmanaged ecsystems; and (iii) advance the issues f data management and standardisatin, as recently initiated by ERA-CAPS. II - Added value f research and innvatin (FPs) acrss the EU: Challenges are glbal, science is glbal and innvatin t. Therefre a jint prgramme at Eurpean level is well suited t reach critical mass effrts fr Eurpe and glbally. Eurpe needs t realise its ptential and respnsibility t cntribute t and lead as apprpriate glbal activities. E.g. Eurpean plant scientists and cmpanies culd cntribute much mre t Eurpean and glbal fd and nutritinal security, preventing and curing human diseases, addressing climate change. III - Welcme the great success f the FPs Excellent Science pillar cntinue and strengthen the Eurpean Research Cuncil (ERC) prgrammes as well as the Marie Skłdwska-Curie Actins (MSCA) which have achieved majr successes in terms f attracting, supprting and retaining excellent frntier scientists and training the next generatin f scientists and entrepreneurs. There is an pprtunity t imprve the MSCA Innvative Training Netwrk scheme by increasing the flexibility fr students t chse the primary training institute / university amng the netwrk members accrding t their individual needs. Current rules require this t be fixed in the prpsal / cntract with minute flexibility. The success rate f ERC applicatins remains t lw, leading t the exclusin f many excellent prjects. This shuld be addressed by increasing the ttal budget fr the ERC prgramme with the aim f increasing the ttal number f funded prjects. IV - Imprve the FPs Scietal / Glbal Challenges missin based pillar addressing the Sustainable Develpment Gals (SDGs) Give mre balanced cnsideratin t basic research in relatin t the ther cmpnents (applied research, demnstratin and innvatin actins) f the research and innvatin cycle: Wrk by the Initiative fr Science in Eurpe (ISE), the League f Eurpean Research Universities (LERU; R4) and Science Eurpe suggest that due t the increasing fcus n higher Technlgy Readiness Levels (TRLs), the Scietal Challenges aspect f Hrizn 2020 misses ut nt nly n the ptential benefits frm prjects that include, r fcus n, basic research, but als n linking basic research t applied slutins. It thus hinders grund-breaking slutins fr current and future challenges. Cmpared with FP6 and FP7, there is a steady increase f supprt fr applied research and demnstratin actins and a steep increase f supprt fr innvatin actins. Hwever, supprt fr basic research has drpped dramatically, especially frm FP7 t Hrizn This culd be vercme by: Prvisining funding that addresses Scietal Challenges thrugh encuraging cllabrative basic research as fcus r intrinsic cmpnent f research and innvatin prjects. Encurage mre cst-effective ERA-NETs which supprt fundamental research and its translatin int applicatins, including transdisciplinary appraches, t braden the scpe f EPSO input t the EC cnsultatin n EU funds pst page 2 f 5

3 the Eurpean Research Area Netwrks and their ability t address interlinking and related gals thrugh basic as well as applied research. Bth appraches will widen participatin, including frm underrepresented cuntries (EU13), increase mbilisatin f natinal and EU resurces and cntribute t reslving gaps in cllabrative research. This will create a translatinal bridge between the scientific excellence and the industrial leadership pillars. Increased funding fr basic and strategic research will als meet the needs f private cmpanies, wh might have in-huse capacity fr applied research and innvatin, but lack mtivatin, time and funding t d the explrative research which lays the grund fr innvatin activities. Define the gals and bjectives fr innvative slutins, nt the path t get there. Innvative research utilising a variety f technlgies and crss-disciplinary appraches must be strengthened t develp slutins fr Scietal Challenges that we face nw and in future. While FP6 fstered advanced technlgy research, this changed t increasingly tacit (traditinal) knwledge develpment and applicatin in FP7, which is nw peaking in Hrizn 2020, thus ging frm ne extreme t the ther. Prescriptive high-trl, multi-actr, appraches can weaken the ability f fundamental and applied research and innvatin t respnd t specific challenges. T derive maximum benefit fr the envirnment, human health, and the Eurpean ecnmy, EPSO suggest that future prgrammes shuld be mre flexible in their apprach t encurage a truly balanced supprt t the use f diverse cmbinatins f technlgies and practices. Gals and bjectives fr innvative slutins shuld be identified while the appraches emplyed t reach these targets shuld be kept pen t the applicants where pssible, as mentined in the Hrizn 2020 Regulatin f Establishment. Incentivise utreach activities f researchers acrss Eurpe and beynd by encuraging stakehlders t initiate and crdinate snwball-principle bttm-up activities at the Eurpean r even glbal scale. Cmpetitive Eurpean funding culd be used t prvide central crdinatin supprt and cre resurces fr utreach activities. The resulting tls such as wesbi9tes, psters, flyers, images wuld then be made penly available fr free use by researchers and ther stakehlders acrss Eurpe and beynd. This will be an imprtant cntributin t engage the public, learning frm cncepts such as citizen science. Increase participatin f EU13 thrugh incentives in the evaluatin criteria, such as bnus pints, r an bligatin in sme call tpics t include participants acrss the (underrepresented) regins f Eurpe (including EU13). This will ensure that scientific excellence as well as ptential impact f the prject remain the main evaluatin criteria while als encuraging the inclusin f academic and industrial partners frm the EU13 in cnsrtia assembled fr Eurpean-funded cmpetitins and cllabratins. Address the SDGs and incentivise the private sectr t invest in R&I by supprting a public-private partnership n Integrated Crp Prductin The public and private sectrs share a cmmn interest in aligning future research and prductin activities with the SDGs. This prvides pprtunities fr the inclusin f Public- Private-Partnerships (PPP) addressing SDGs within FP9. Fr instance, a PPP n Integrated Crp Prductin wuld supprt an interdisciplinary and multi-sectr missin. By building a partnership between industry, farming, academia, the Eurpean Cmmissin and the Member States, a critical mass f stakehlders culd be reached and thus cnsrtia wuld be wellpsitined t achieve high impact. The establishment f PPPs directly addresses SDG9 ( Industry, Innvatin and Infrastructure ), specifically target 9.5 ( Enhance scientific research, upgrade the technlgical capabilities f industrial sectrs in all cuntries, in particular develping cuntries, including, by 2030, encuraging innvatin and substantially increasing the number f research and develpment wrkers per 1 millin peple and public and private research and develpment spending ). Strengthen Eurpe as a strng leader f and cntributr t glbal actin Implementing the Open t the Wrld cncept f Cmmissiner Carls Medas: Addressing SDG2 EPSO input t the EC cnsultatin n EU funds pst page 3 f 5

4 partnerships fr the Gals Targets 17.6,-17.8, SDG2 End hunger Targets , SDG13 Climate actin Targets , SDG15 Life n land Targets 15.2, 15.5, etc.. EPSO encurages the prvisin f flexible resurces fr Eurpean-internatinal cllabratins, as successfully practised by the USA and China, fr expanding nutritinal security and develpment beynd Eurpe, particularly in Africa. Addressing the fllwing challenges is a pririty bth in Eurpe and glbally: Building capacity thrugh applicatin f new technlgies (e.g. New Breeding Technlgies) and methdlgical prgresses (e.g. phentyping) necessary fr agile plant breeding twards imprved traits, crps and farming and frestry systems. Develping bilgical resurces with careful characterizatin, preservatin and management prtcls, and with shared grunds and fair rules fr glbal access and distributin f benefits. Bifrtifcatin f staple crps f glbal imprtance and imprving the ecnmic perfrmance f nutritius under-utilised crps, including fruits, vegetables and rphan cereals. Prmting precisin agriculture and frestry t enable sustainable resurce management, including lw-cst technlgies fr effective decisin-making, pen science slutins such as satellite-based crp surveys and autnmus unmanned vehicles. Lng-term glbal partnerships are necessary t achieve these gals and wuld substantially benefit frm: i) the establishment f pen technlgy hubs with the capacity t hst researchers and cntribute t prgrammes that are cnceived and implemented cllectively, and ii) the develpment f vibrant educatin prgrammes that encurage mbility fr students, lecturers (including nn-eurpean partners) and early career researchers, and harmnize prcess, curricula and qualificatins. Include the plant research and innvatin areas that can help addressing several SDGs in the missin-based cllabrative appraches in FP9. Mst f the SDGs are directly r indirectly linked t plant and agricultural sciences: SDG 1: N pverty is clsely linked t the develpment f an adequate and rbust incme fr smallhlder farmers. SDG 2: Zer hunger requires sufficient and sustainable prductin f plant fr fd. SDG 3: Gd health and well-being requires a healthy diet balanced between carbhydrates, (micr)nutrients and healthy lipids (fats). SDG 4 Quality educatin is required t translate knwledge frm science as fast as pssible frm the lab bench t farmers SDG 5 Gender equality is tightly linked t female farmers, wh still prvide mst f the crp prductin in develping cuntries. Thus an imprtant aspect is t enable female farmers. SDG 6 Clean water and sanitatin. Water is essential t prduce plants; thus increasing demand fr water by agriculture will require higher water use efficiency f plants and agriculture prductin systems. SDG 7 Affrdable and clean energy ; plant bimass is a significant surce fr energy: this is nt nly the case in industrial cuntries, where bienergy will play a rle in the future, but als tday still mst f the energy cnsumptin in develping cuntries cmes frm burning bimass. SDG 8: Decent wrk and ecnmic grwth farming-based scieties will develp frm tday s status int future ecnmies while maintaining and imprving their plan prductin sectr. SDG 9: Industry innvatin and infrastructure bi-based slutins have lng been inspiratin fr industrial prcesses and bimass is develped int a renewable resurce fr mdern chemical and material industries. SDG 10 Reduced inequalities ; inequalities tday are strngly linked t the availability f fd and nn-fd resurces SDG 11 Develp urban agriculture with an increasing migratin int cities the demand f urban megastructures needs t be maintained and the appreciatin f urban ppulatin fr their fd basis needs t be (re-) established. EPSO input t the EC cnsultatin n EU funds pst page 4 f 5

5 SDG 12 Respnsible cnsumptin and prductin is urgently needed in rder t reduce the envirnmental ftprint f agriculture. This als requires scientific slutins t reduce fd and nn-fd waste and. SDG 13 Climate actin agriculture is a majr surce as well as significantly impacted by climate change. SDG 14 life belw water ; plant sciences can help t reduce verfishing by sustainable prductin f fish feed fr aquaculture; and by that means als reduce the pllutin f castal areas. SDG 15 Life n land is an imprtant target fr bidiversity research and diversified landscape appraches. SDG 16 Peace, justice and strng institutins are the target and the basis t achieve the targets indicated in the SDGs SDG 17 Partnership fr the gals Plant scientists are willing t cntribute in inter- and transdisciplinary partnerships, but als require resilient institutins glbally. The EPSO input t the Eurpean Cmmissin s cnsultatin n EU funds pst 2020 was discussed at the EPSO Bard Meeting, based n the EPSO General Meeting exchange f views and recmmendatins n future research and innvatin acrss the EU (Framewrk Prgrammes). EPSO publicatins mst relevant t this cnsultatin are: EPSO: Psitin n the next EU Framewrk Prgramme fr Research and Innvatin, FP9, EPSO: Submissin t EC cnsultatin Mdernising and simplifying the Cmmn Agricultural Plicy, EPSO: Submissin t the EC cnsultatin n Hrizn 2020 Interim Evaluatin, , Cntacts Dr. Karin Metzlaff Dr. Ald Ceritti Prf. Erkki Truve EPSO Executive Directr EPSO President EPSO Representative Estnian cluster Brussels, BE Directr at CNR, Milan, IT Tallinn University f Technlgy, EE T: T: T: Karin.Metzlaff@epsmail.rg ceritti@ibba.cnr.it erkki.truve@ttu.ee Useful links EPSO breaking news: EPSO publicatins: EPSO member institutes and universities: EPSO representatives: Abut EPSO EPSO, the Eurpean Plant Science Organisatin, is an independent academic rganisatin that represents mre than 200 research institutes, departments and universities frm 28 Eurpean cuntries, Australia and New Zealand, and individuals Persnal Members, representing ver peple wrking in plant science. EPSO s missin is t imprve the impact and visibility f plant science in Eurpe, t prvide authritative surce f independent infrmatin n plant science including science advice t plicy, and t prmte training f plant scientists t meet the 21st century challenges in breeding, agriculture, hrticulture, frestry, plant eclgy and sectrs related t plant science. EPSO input t the EC cnsultatin n EU funds pst page 5 f 5